Accuracy of estimating postmortem interval using the relationship between total body score and accumulated degree-days: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: This study aims to evaluate the relationship between Total Body Score (TBS) and Accumulated Degree-Days (ADD) for estimating postmortem interval (PMI) using the decomposition quantification system by Megyesi et al. (Megyesi MS, Nawrocki SP, Haskell NH (2005) Using Accumulated Degree-Days to Estimate the Postmortem Interval from Decomposed Human Remains. J Forensic Sci 50:1-9. https://doi.org/10.1520/jfs2004017 ).
Design: A systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed using the QUADAS-2 scoring system. Statical tests, including I2 for heterogeneity assessment and subgroup analysis comparing human and pig proxies across different decomposition stages, were performed for meta-analysis.
Results: The search identified 25 studies that underwent qualitative evaluation, all of which were included for quantitative analysis. The findings indicate that the TBS formula tends to overestimate ADD with a moderate mean difference of 0.5758 overall. Specifically, in pigs, ADD is overestimated significantly (1.1128), while there is a slight underestimation in humans (-0.0038). Across decomposition stages, fresh body (0.0066) and early decomposition (0.0338) show an insignificant overestimation, whereas advanced decomposition reveals a slight underestimation (-0.3378) and skeletonization indicates a substantial overestimation (1.6583).
Conclusions: The relationship between TBS and ADD demonstrates high accuracy in humans during early decomposition stages, without differences in statistical significance. However, its accuracy diminishes as decomposition progresses, potentially leading to an overestimation of PMI.
期刊介绍:
The International Journal of Legal Medicine aims to improve the scientific resources used in the elucidation of crime and related forensic applications at a high level of evidential proof. The journal offers review articles tracing development in specific areas, with up-to-date analysis; original articles discussing significant recent research results; case reports describing interesting and exceptional examples; population data; letters to the editors; and technical notes, which appear in a section originally created for rapid publication of data in the dynamic field of DNA analysis.